Drive for yarn feed roll assembly

ABSTRACT

A variable speed drive for a tufting machine pattern attachment having a yarn feed roller assembly which allows the speed to be varied with the tufting machine inoperative. The yarn feed roller assembly includes a plurality of shafts which are driven at different speeds. The drive includes a variable speed regulator for each different shaft speed. The outputs of each regulator drives the respective shaft through a one-way clutch. The input to all the regulators is through a one-way clutch from the main motor of the tufting machine. An auxiliary motor, which drives in a reverse direction to the main motor, is operatively connected to the input of all the regulators between the regulators and the one-way clutch and free wheels in the direction of the main motor during operation of the tufting machine. To change the speeds of the yarn feed roller assembly shafts, the main motor is shut so as to make the tufting machine inoperative and the auxiliary motor is excited. The variable speed regulators may thereafter be adjusted.

United States Patent Fitton Sept. 23, 1975 Primary Examiner-H. Hampton Hunter Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Marshall J. Breen; Edward DRIVE FOR YARN FEED ROLL ASSEMBLY 75 l t: N lS.F'tt G d nven or Eaggeland 1 on, reat Harwoo L BelkAlan Ruderman [73] Assigneez Lb; Singer Company, New York, [57] ABSTRACT u A variable speed drive for a tufting machine pattern {22] F'led: attachment having a yarn feed roller assembly which 21 L 515 770 allows the speed to be varied with the tufting machine inoperative. The yarn feed roller assembly includes a plurality of shafts which are driven at different speeds. The drive includes a variable speed regulator for each {30] Foreign Application Priorit Data different shaft speed. The outputs of each regulator Aug, 31 1974 United Kingdom 38l39/74 drives the respective shaft through a one-way clutch. The input to all the regulators is through a one-way 52 11.5. (:1. 112/79 A; 112/79 A clutch from the main of machile' 51] lm. c1. DOSC 15/32 auxiliary which drives a reverse direciic" [58] new 0' Search 2/79 A 79 R, 266, M0 to the main motor, is operatively connected to the input of all the regulators between the regulators and the one-way clutch and free wheels in the direction of the main motor during operation of the tufting ma- [56] References cued chine. To change the speeds of the yarn feed roller as- NI ED STATE PAT sembly shafts, the main motor is shut so as to make 3,075,482 1/1963 C rd e 112/79 A the tufting machine inoperative and the auxiliary 3.272,]63 9/l966 Erwin et al.... ll2/79 R motor is excited. The variable speed regulators may 3.489.326 l/l970 Singleton ll2/79 A thereafter be adjusted. 3,605,660 9/!971 Short 112/79 A 3,847,094 11/1974 112/79 A 5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 52 p42 as M 55 48 ifu I 46 54 52 so 134 13a US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,906,876

US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 2 of2 Fig. 2

DRIVE FOR YARN FEED ROLL ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to textile machinery. such as tufting machines and the like. and is particularly directed to a variable speed drive for a pattern attachment therefor.

Wide use is being made of pattern attachments for producing variations in pile height fabrics such as carpeting. A pattern attachment of this type is disclosed in the US. Pat. of Hammel, No. 3,l()3,l87. An improvement over the pattern attachment disclosed in the aforesaid patent is disclosed in US. Pat. of Singleton, No. 3,489,326, which discloses an arrangement in which two or more drive shafts rotating continuously at different speeds each have yarn feed rolls relatively rotatably mounted thereon. In order to control the pile height and the weight of the pile fabric being produced, it is desirable to vary the speeds of the pattern attachment drive shafts. In the prior art attachments the speeds of the drive shafts are varied by changing the sprockets on the ends of the rollers which are driven by chains from the main shaft. This is a time consuming process which is performed with the tufting machine stopped. When the machine is restarted, a short run must be sewn to check the pile height of the fabric to insure that the correct sprockets were installed. An improvement to this speed change procedure has been to provide a variable speed regulator for each different speed drive shaft of the attachment. The regulator which is used is a very compact unit which supplies almost constant output horsepower over its entire speed range and can be varied under full load. It must, however, be adjusted while it is running. It cannot be varied while the unit is stopped, as it would then be damaged. The disadvantage in a tufting machine created by this requirement is that the pile fabric sewn while the regulator is being adjusted is waste and must be scrapped.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to overcome these deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention provides a pattern attachment drive including a variable speed regulator for each different speed attachment drive shaft, a plurality of clutch members arranged between the regulators and the associated drive shafts, and an auxiliary motor located between a clutch from the main drive and the input of the regulators. The arrangement is such that to change the speed of the attachment drive shafts,' the main motor is shut down, the clutches are uncoupled, the auxiliary motor is excited, and the regulators are adjusted. In the preferred embodiment, the auxiliary motor drives in a reverse direction to that of the main drive shaft and motor, and the clutches are of the oneway type so that all that is necessary to adjust the speed of the shafts is to shut the main motor. excite the auxiliary motor. and adjust the regulators.

Accordingly. it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved variable speed drive for a tufting machine pattern attachment having a yarn feed roller assembly in which a speed adjustment of the roller drive shafts may be performed rapidly with the machine inoperative.

It is another object of this invention to provide a variable speed drive for a yarn feed roller assembly which may be adjusted without producing any scrap fabric.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of the invention will be best understood upon reading the following detailed description of the invention with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is an elevational view of one end of a tufting machine including a yarn feed roller pattern attachment incorporating a variable speed drive constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a crosssectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing, FIG. 1 illustrates an elevational view of the conventional tufting machine including a frame 10 supporting a laterally extending needle bar 12 which carries a plurality of needles I4 arranged in a row along the length of the bar. The needle bar is supported for reciprocation of push rods 16 driven through pitmans or eccentric straps I8 from eccentrics 20 supported on a main shaft 22. Rotational motion is supplied to the main shaft from a prime mover such as a primary or main motor 24 through conventional means such as pulleys 26 and 28 and a timing belt 30. The needles cooperate in a conventional manner with corresponding loopers 32 which oscillate by means including belt and pulley means 33 into operative cooperation with the needles. In this manner tufts of yarn are inserted into a backing fabric (not shown) conventionally fed between the needles and the loopers. Yarn is fed to the needles from a yarn feed roller assembly which is illustrated as comprising two rows 34 and 36 of roll modules.

The yarn feed roller assembly is a pattern attachment for producing pile variations in the tufted product by varying the rate at which yarn is fed to the needles. The rate of feed is different for each different pile height produced in a backing fabric. The illustrated attachment is a three pile height attachment. Thus, each row 34 and 36 comprises three spaced parallel drive shafts 38, 40, 42 and 44, 46 and 48 respectively, with each shaft in each row driven at a different speed in a manner to be described. Preferably, the shafts 38 and 44 are driven at a first speed, shafts 40 and 46 at a second speed and shafts 42 and 48 in the third speed. Rotatably' mounted oneach drive shaft is a plurality of feed rolls 50, each having gear teeth 52. The teeth of the corresponding rolls of the shafts in each row mesh one to another to effect a drive coupling between such corresponding rolls. Drive transmitting means such as electromagnetic clutches (not shown) receiving electrical power from slip ring assemblies 54 are provided between each roll and its respective shaft so that the speed of any shaft may selectively be transmitted to the rolls thereon, and through the intermcshing gears. to corresponding rolls on the adjacent shafts. Yarns are wound about the feed rolls so that each yarn may be fed at the desired rate to the needles. Each shaft 38, 40, 42, 44, 46 and 48 is coupled by means of a collar to a respective stub shaft 38', 40, 42', 44, 46' and 48' journalled in the frame 10.

To rotatably drive the pattern attachment drive shafts so that each shaft of each row 34 and 36 is at a different speed, means such as a pulley 56 is mounted on the main shaft 22, and a second pulley 58 is mounted adjacent one end of an input shaft 60. The shaft is driven from the main shaft through a belt 62 trained about the pulleys 56 and 58. An idler pulley 64 may be included for adjusting the tension of the belt. A second pulley 66 is mounted on the other end of the input shaft 60. Mounted on the frame 10 are three variable speed regulators 68, 70 and 72., there being one for each different speed yarn feed roller assembly drive shaft. The variable speed regulators are conventional units that have been on the market for a number of years. The preferred units are of the type in which input power is transmitted to the output shaft through a series of drive balls contacting input and output drive cones and mounted on spindles supported in cam shaped slots in a rotatable plate. Rotation of the plate causes the axes of the drive balls to tilt which changes the points of contact of the balls with the drive cones and thereby changes the speed ratio of the input shaft to the output shaft. A unit of this type is manufactured by All Speeds Limited of Accrington. Lancashire, England under the name Kopp Variable Speed Gear (variator). A calibrated hand wheel or lever 74 or other conventional means is provided to vary the speed from outside the unit. The variable speed regulating units must be adjusted while the units are rotating. otherwise damage to the various elements will result. Mounted on the respective input shafts 76, 78 and 80 of each regulator unit is a respective pulley 82, 84 and 86. A belt 88 is trained about the pulleys 66, 82, 84 and 86. A tensioning pulley 90 may be provided to keep the belt properly taut. The pulleys and belt transmit motion from the shaft 60 to the input of the speed regulating units. Of course. chains and sprockets may be used instead of the pulleys and belt. The output of each regulator is preferably connected to a respective reduction gear box 92, 94 and 96, having output shafts 98, and 102 respectively on which is mounted a respective sprocket 104, 104' and 104". 1

Mounted on each stub shaft 38'. 46' and 48 is a respective sprocket 106, 106' and 106". A chain 108 is trained about the sprockets 104 and 106 so as to drive stub shaft 38' from the output shaft 98 of the gear box 92. In a similar manner the stub shaft 46' is driven through a chain 110 from the output shaft 100 of the gear box 94, and the stub shaft 48' is driven through a chain 112 from the output shaft 102 of gear box 96. To drive the stub shaft 44' at the same speed of the stub shaft 38' a sprocket 114 is provided at the end of shaft 38', and a sprocket 116 is provided at the end of shaft 44', and a chain 118 is trained about the sprockets. Similarly, sprockets 120 and 122 are respectively mounted on shafts 40' and 46' and a chain 124, which is trained thereabout, drives the shaft 40'. In a similar manner sprockets 126 and 128 and chain 130 drive shaft 42' from and at the speed of the shaft 48'. Thus, it should be understood that the roller shafts 38 and 44 are driven at a first speed, the roller shafts 40 and 46 at a second speed. and the shafts 42 and 48 at a third speed to provide the three speeds necessary to produce three pile height patterning effects in the backing fab- In order to change the speeds of the feed roller assembly drive shafts with the tufting machine inoperative, the present invention includes an auxiliary motor 130 which preferably is of the three-phase type. A pulley 132 is secured to the motor drive shaft and drives another pulley 134 on shaft 60 through a belt 136 trained about the two pulleys. The motor 130 is supported on the frame 10 and includes gearing to or is positioned to drive the shaft 60 in a reverse direction to that in which the main motor 24 drives shaft 60. A oneway clutch 138, either formed as part of the pulley S8 or as a separate unit on which or adjacent to which the pulley 58 is mounted, is located on the shaft 60 so as to transmit motion from the pulley 58 to the shaft 60, but to prevent transmission of drive motion from the shaft to the pulley. Thus, when the main motor is operative and the motor 130 is shut, motion is transmitted from belt 62 to pulley 58 to shaft 60 while the motor 130 free-wheels, but when the main motor 24 is shut and the auxiliary motor is activated, the pulley 58 is drivingly disengaged from shaft 60 and no motion is transferred to the belt 62 and the main shaft 22. However, in this latter instance, the shaft 60 does transmit motion to the speed regulators 68, 70 and 72. Moreover, the sprockets 106, 106' and 106" are similarly formed with or are mounted on or adjacent respective one-way clutches 140, 142 and 144 which allow motion to be drivingly transmitted from the sprockets 106, 106' and 106" to the respective stub shafts 38', 46' and 48' in a first direction of rotation which the sprockets rotate and which prevent motion from being drivingly transmitted to the stub shafts 38', 46 and 48' in the opposite direction of rotation of the sprockets 106, 106' and 106". The first direction of rotation corresponds to the direction the sprockets rotate when the main motor 24 is operating. while the second direction is that in which the main motor is shut and the auxiliary motor 130 is activated. Thus, no motion is drivingly transmit ted to the yarn feed roller assembly when the auxiliary motor is activated.

In operation, when it is desired to change the yarn feed roller drive shaft speeds, the main motor 24 is shut so that the tufting machine is inoperative, and the auxiliary motor 130 is excited. The speed regulators 68, 70 and 72 are thereby kept running, although in a direction opposite to that in which it is driven by the main motor. Because of the one-way clutches 140, 142 and 144 the yarn feed roller assembly is inoperative, while the one-way clutch 138 prevents the shaft 60 from driving the main shaft 22. The regulators are then adjusted by turning the calibrated hand wheels or levers 74 to the desired speeds. Thus, the yarn feed rates can be varied with the entire tufting machine inoperative so that no yarn or pile fabric is wasted.

Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. For example. rather than a three pile height pattern attachment which is the preferred embodiment, a two pile height attachment may be used which has only two corresponding roll modules rather than the three illustrated. In such a case only two speed regulating units will be required and a corresponding reduction in the other elements will follow. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to a preferred embodiment of the invention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to be construed as a limitation of the invention. All such modifications which do not depart from the spirit of the invention are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention. what is claimed herein is:

l. A variable speed drive for a tufting machine pattern attachment having a plurality of yarn feed roll drive shafts with certain of the shafts adapted to be rotatable at different speeds, said drive comprising a main motor, a speed regulating unit for each different feed roll drive shaft speed. each regulating unit having an input shaft and an output shaft and means for varying the speed of the output shaft relative to the input shaft only while the unit is driven, a first drive transmitting means between the main motor and the input shaft of each regulating unit to drive the regulating units in a first direction, a second drive transmitting means between the output shaft of each regulating unit and corresponding feed roll drive shafts, said second drive transmitting means including means operative to effect a drive coupling only when the regulating units are driven in said first direction, and auxiliary motor operative only when a feed roll drive shaft speed variation is to be effected, and a third drive transmitting means between the auxiliary motor and the input shaft of each regulating unit to drive the regulating units in a reverse direction to said first direction.

2. A variable speed drive for a tufting machine pattern attachment as recited in claim 1 wherein said means operative to effect a drive coupling only when the regulating units are driven in said first direction comprises one-way clutch means.

3. A variable speed drive for a tufting machine pat tern attachment as recited in claim 1 wherein said first drive transmitting means includes means to disengage the first motor from the regulating units.

4. A variable speed drive for a tufting machine pattern attachment as recited in claim 3 wherein said first and third drive transmitting means include a common shaft, said main motor adapted to rotatably drive said shaft in one direction and said auxiliary motor adapted to rotatably drive said shaft in the opposite direction, said means to disengage the main motor from the regulating units comprise means operative to effect a drive coupling between said main motor and said shaft only when said shaft is driven in said one direction.

5. A variable speed drive for a tufting machine pattern attachment as recited in claim 4 wherein said means to effect a drive coupling between said main motor and said shaft comprises one-way clutch means. 

1. A variable speed drive for a tufting machine pattern attachment having a plurality of yarn feed roll drive shafts with certain of the shafts adapted to be rotatable at different speeds, said drive comprising a main motor, a speed regulating unit for each different feed roll drive shaft speed, each regulating unit having an input shaft and an output shaft and means for varying the speed of the output shaft relative to the input shaft only while the unit is driven, a first drive transmitting means between the main motoR and the input shaft of each regulating unit to drive the regulating units in a first direction, a second drive transmitting means between the output shaft of each regulating unit and corresponding feed roll drive shafts, said second drive transmitting means including means operative to effect a drive coupling only when the regulating units are driven in said first direction, and auxiliary motor operative only when a feed roll drive shaft speed variation is to be effected, and a third drive transmitting means between the auxiliary motor and the input shaft of each regulating unit to drive the regulating units in a reverse direction to said first direction.
 2. A variable speed drive for a tufting machine pattern attachment as recited in claim 1 wherein said means operative to effect a drive coupling only when the regulating units are driven in said first direction comprises one-way clutch means.
 3. A variable speed drive for a tufting machine pattern attachment as recited in claim 1 wherein said first drive transmitting means includes means to disengage the first motor from the regulating units.
 4. A variable speed drive for a tufting machine pattern attachment as recited in claim 3 wherein said first and third drive transmitting means include a common shaft, said main motor adapted to rotatably drive said shaft in one direction and said auxiliary motor adapted to rotatably drive said shaft in the opposite direction, said means to disengage the main motor from the regulating units comprise means operative to effect a drive coupling between said main motor and said shaft only when said shaft is driven in said one direction.
 5. A variable speed drive for a tufting machine pattern attachment as recited in claim 4 wherein said means to effect a drive coupling between said main motor and said shaft comprises one-way clutch means. 